Basic Quiz – 17 September 2026 | Geography

Answer: (c)

Explanation:

• Statement-I is correct: Most of the major Peninsular rivers, such as the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri, flow eastwards and drain into the Bay of Bengal. Narmada and Tapi are important exceptions that drain westwards into the Arabian Sea.
• Statement-II is incorrect: The Peninsular block is generally tilted from the northwest towards the southeast, which explains the predominantly eastward drainage of the Peninsular rivers.

Answer: (b) Only two

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: Barchans are crescent-shaped dunes. Their horns or wings point in the downwind direction. They generally develop where wind direction is relatively constant and sand supply is limited.
• Statement 2 is correct: Parabolic dunes generally develop where sandy surfaces are partially stabilized by vegetation. They are broadly reverse-barchan shaped, with their arms pointing upwind.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: Longitudinal dunes are generally aligned parallel to the prevailing wind direction, not perpendicular to it. Transverse dunes, in contrast, are aligned perpendicular to the prevailing wind.

Answer: (a) 1 only

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: A large proportion of India’s metallic mineral resources occur in the old crystalline rocks of the Peninsular Plateau. Important mineral belts include the North-Eastern Plateau Region, South-Western Plateau Region and North-Western Region.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Petroleum is characteristically associated with sedimentary basins. In India, important petroleum-producing areas include Assam, Gujarat and the Mumbai Offshore region. Hydrocarbon reserves have also been discovered in basins such as Krishna-Godavari and Cauvery.

Answer: (a) Only one

Explanation:

• Pair 1 is correct: The Benguela Current is a cold current flowing northward along the southwestern coast of Africa.
• Pair 2 is correct: The Kuroshio Current is a warm western boundary current of the North Pacific Ocean.
• Pair 3 is incorrect: The Brazil Current is a warm current, flowing southward along the eastern coast of South America.
• Pair 4 is correct: The Agulhas Current is a warm current flowing along the southeastern coast of Africa.

Thus, only Pair 3 is incorrectly matched.

Answer: (b) Only two

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Laterite soils develop under conditions of high temperature and high rainfall, particularly in tropical regions with alternating wet and dry periods.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Intense leaching caused by heavy rainfall removes much of the lime and silica. Iron and aluminium compounds become relatively concentrated, giving lateritic soils their characteristic appearance.
• Statement 3 is correct: Laterite soils are generally deficient in organic matter, nitrogen, phosphate and calcium, while iron oxide may be relatively abundant.
• Statement 4 is correct: With appropriate management, laterite soils are suitable for crops such as cashew nut. Red laterite soils occur extensively in parts of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and other areas of Peninsular India.

Therefore, Statements 3 and 4 are correct.